CLEVELAND, Ohio - The City Club of Cleveland will host a free Democratic gubernatorial debate in early December, the first in the Cleveland area.

The debate is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre in the Idea Center at Playhouse Square. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The debate also will be live-streamed on the City Club's website, ideastream and WKYC Channel 3.

Four of the five declared candidates are scheduled to be on stage. Former state Rep. Connie Pillich, state Sen. Joe Schiavoni, former U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley are all confirmed participants.

Not included in the lineup are Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill and outgoing Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray. Cordray has not yet announced whether he will run and O'Neill has yet to go through the vetting process - and has told the party he will drop out if Cordray enters.

"We are thrilled that the City Club is doing this," Pepper said. "The City Club has an incredible brand. If you want to go where debates are exciting and spontaneous and unscripted, you go to the Cleveland City Club."

Pepper said any other candidate hoping to be on the debate stage would have to go through the vetting process - which includes background checks, one-on-one interviews and social media reviews - without exception.

"That takes some time," Pepper said. "Depending on the timing, I don't know who will be on stage at the City Club debate. But we're not going to do shortcuts. We have to treat all candidates fairly."

O'Neill was at the center of controversy Friday after posting on Facebook about his sexual history with "50 very attractive females" in a defense of sexual harassment allegations against U.S. Sen. Al Franken.